By Kim J. Gifford

Let’s plunge into the world of toilets. The toilet is one of the most necessary fixtures in a home, but one of the least likely to generate conversation. Yet, like the bathtub before it, the toilet today seems to be coming into its own.

Toilet manufacturers such as Kohler, American Standard, and Toto are producing innovative designs and marketing toilets in new ways, even calling them “performing art.” Although the modern toilet has traditionally been rather plain, new versions such as Kohler’s hand-painted artist editions—featuring flowers, sailboats, and other designs—look like masterpieces. Manufacturers have also begun to move beyond aesthetics to focus on hygiene and comfort.

Style and Price

Appearance matters when choosing any household fixture, so select a toilet that complements your overall bathroom décor. Stately and traditional seems to be the preference although many companies are offering sleek, contemporary alternatives, as well. One-piece toilets create a streamlined look, featuring an integral apron that covers the trapway or the snake-like tubing on the sides of the toilet through which the wastewater flushes. This design has no crevices between the tank and the bowl where dirt can collect, making cleaning easier. Two-piece toilets consist of a standard tank and bowl, bolted together on installation. They sit slightly higher than one-piece models, making them more comfortable on the knees.

Wall-mounted toilets are yet another option, ideal if there is a problem installing a standard floor drain or if you need to be able to reach underneath the toilet to clean. The flushing mechanism for these toilets is hidden within the wall.

Toilet styles vary from the ornate to the old-fashioned. Burgess International manufactures a toilet with an elaborate lion-shaped molding while American Standard offers “The Repertoire,” a classic, antique design. One aspect in which toilets are not changing is their color. White and bone remain the standard, while black often shows up in contemporary bathrooms.

Although you can purchase inexpensive models, most quality toilets start at $200 to $250
and run as high as several thousand dollars.

Although you can purchase inexpensive models, most quality toilets start at $200 to $250 and run as high as several thousand dollars. To get “a good-looking, good-working toilet, you are going to have to pay up to $1,000,” says Robyn Steward, designer at Bethel Mills Kitchen and Bath in Bethel, Vt.

Comfort and Other Extras

Although the toilet may never overtake the tub as a place to relax, today’s manufacturers are doing their best to make its use an enjoyable experience. Heated toilet seats that start at $100 are gaining in popularity. Toto produces two products — the Chloe and the Jasmin — called washlets. The Chloe includes a touch-activated bidet wand that releases aerated streams of warm water. The Jasmin, which sells for $1,200, includes front and rear massage, a warm air dryer, and air deodorizer. New elongated seats are both ergonomic and comfortable while higher heights make toilets easier to sit on and get off.

Additional innovations include softer closing seats to prevent that annoying slam. Kohler’s “Peacekeeper” keeps the peace between the sexes, flushing automatically when the seat is down. Some toilet seats now come with snap-off hinges for easy removal and cleaning. Antibacterial finishes not only make for a more hygienic surface, but help prevent staining, scaling, and lime buildup.

Performance and Water Conservation

In an effort to conserve water, The National Energy Policy Act of 1992 mandated that all future toilets made or sold in the U.S. meet the federal water-efficiency standards of 1.6 GPF (gallons per minute flush). In the past, toilet-flushing capacity was greater, allowing toilets to flush larger loads and the occasional odd object such as a diaper. By contrast, the new 1.6 GPF toilets often require double flushing to handle large loads, earning the complaint that they are frequently less efficient in conserving water than the older models.

There are three basic types of low-flush toilets: gravity-fed toilets, pressure-assisted toilets, and Flushometer toilets. Gravity-fed toilets depend on gravity and the volume of water in the tank to flush the waste. Push the handle and a flush value opens. The water in the tank subsequently drains into the bowl through rim or siphon-jet openings while gravity moves the waste through the trapway.

Pressure-assisted toilets typically cost more and rely on compressed air to move the waste. According to American Standard, gravity-fed toilets use a “pull through action” to empty the bowl while pressure-assisted toilets result in a “push through” flush. Similarly, commercial Flushometers also depend on water pressure for waste removal, although they operate with higher water pressure than residential units and have no tanks. Pressure-assisted toilets and Flushometers are usually noisier than gravity-tank models.

Glazed and larger trapways also aid performance by preventing waste from sticking and clogging. Most trapways today are two to three inches in diameter as opposed to the minimum standard of one-and-a-half inches.

Problems and How to Fix Them

The most common dilemma with toilets is clogging and the easiest solution is proper plunging, which requires a series of short, quick strokes to loosen the clog. Thicker toilet papers can cause a toilet to clog and overflow, but the most obvious culprit says Duffy Orr of Orr’s Plumbing and Heating in Bethel, Vt., is “foreign matter — tennis balls, combs, hairbrushes, you name it.”

Although many people assume that water around the bottom of the toilet is the result of a wax ring that no longer seals, Orr notes it is the result of “water constantly going over the overflow and replenishing with cold water to manufacture condensation.” Before replacing the wax ring, Orr suggests checking the float mechanism on your flusher to see that it is adjusted to the right height and not causing water to go over the overflow tube.

Occasionally, a tank cracks during installation. If this is the case, you will need to replace it. If it happens on an older toilet already in your home, you may need to purchase a whole new unit in order to match the replacement tank with the old bowl.